For commoners, the table was incredibly abundant, but for royalty, it was a rather humble spread. Doodle felt anxious, fearing that someone might receive criticism for preparing the food. However,

“Wow! Lianne, did you perhaps try making bread with carrots? I can smell the carrot aroma in the bread.”

Princess Stella not only showed no sign of anger but sat at the table with a face full of anticipation, smiling brightly.

She held a slightly reddish bread to her nose, sniffing the fragrance happily. Her cheerful demeanor was radiant, like that of an ordinary girl.

Others, familiar with this sight, smiled as they approached the side where the princess sat, placing sauces and soups nearby. It was not the smile of a difficult mistress but a warm and affectionate one, treating them like family.

“Doodle, you’ve worked hard. It’s the first day, and I know it must have been overwhelming. You did really well.”

While smiling at the people below, Stella’s gaze shifted to Doodle, who was looking at her with a dazed expression.

“No, I never dreamed that we could all be together like this.”

When she first saw the desolate garden with nothing planted, it was honestly daunting. However, considering the opportunity to showcase her abilities, her heart raced with excitement.

The determination to impress and ensure that they continue to contract with her, made shortly after starting the job, scattered like dust in the wind.
The servants of Berdura Castle all joined forces to help, but it was not enough; Princess Stella herself took part in the fieldwork, wielding a hoe.

Doodle, who had expected to work in front of people who observed and judged sharply, realized he was wrong as everyone was too engrossed in their own tasks, not paying any attention to him. What they needed was not just a simple laborer but a comrade to cultivate the land together. From the first day working in Berdura, Doodle felt good about the place.

Of course, it was definitely not because of the delicious bread that made his eyes twinkle.

The chilly air that couldn’t pass through the glass was left outside, and the afternoon sunlight streamed into the study where Ian had bent a grass blade.

The well-waxed floor reflected sunlight like glass. Thanks to the high ceiling, which was pierced up to the third floor, Ian’s study felt much larger than its actual size and exuded a refined atmosphere.

Some of his brown hair shimmered like silk in the sunlight pouring from behind.

“Is this all you’ve found out?”

Ian, standing with his hands clasped in front of his desk, asked his subordinate as if the subordinate were a criminal. His voice carried a hint of dissatisfaction.

“I apologize.”

The subordinate’s excuse-like response made a wrinkle appear on Ian’s forehead for a moment before disappearing. However, unlike the creased eyebrows, his blue eyes beneath shone brightly with a gleeful expression.

“She was indeed a princess.”
Ian threw the documents he had been holding onto the desk. The paper, with a few lines written on it, made a sound as it landed on the wooden desk, causing the subordinate’s shoulders to twitch, and he quickly straightened it out.

Ian didn’t shout or get angry. However, that didn’t mean he was being kind. He simply disliked unnecessary shouting.

For some reason, his gaze and demeanor seemed unusual for a commoner. At best, he thought she might be a fallen noblewoman pretending and engaging in business.

“Why would someone like a princess be selling carrots in the marketplace?”

His gaze remained fixed on Stella’s name written on the document, and he didn’t seem to have any intention of leaving.

At first, he was interested in the crops the two had brought. If monopolized, regardless of the quality and quantity, it seemed like it could be profitable.

Carrots were more than just carrots if they satisfied the picky aristocrats’ tastes.

But now, he was more interested in the woman with sparkling eyes than the carrots. Ian’s demeanor, which had softened, smoothly continued.

The voice that had been silent for a while didn’t stop whispering. The small figure, persistently coming and going, annoyed him greatly.

Although the anxiety of not knowing her identity was no longer felt, it still bothered him.

“What’s your name? Stella seemed to call you Roy, is that right?”
The creature that came today, instead of the squirming one that came last time, had round and chubby cheeks and belly. If you flicked it with your fingers, it seemed like it would roll all the way to the edge of the desk.

It had been chattering away, pretending not to hear, and then suddenly sat under the face, propping its chin and staring intently.

If it looked grotesque, I might have smacked it away, but this white and soft creature was too…

“Huh? Are you Roy?”

It was cute.

Kai sighed lightly and brought his hand to Ark. As he did, the round creature chuckled and started climbing up his arm, nuzzling and whimpering.